Personalized Learning
When you visualize educational transformation, what does success look like to you? How do you get there? One major component of transformation is the focus on Personalized Learning – a popular buzzword in the education space, and for good reason. According to the OECD, Personalized Learning has the potential to overcome the socio-economic, time, and space limitations of traditional learning.1 So how have you and your school system been thinking about Personalized Learning?
Personalized Learning is not a new concept, despite its current spotlight. The difference is that technology is now allowing for seamless change and transformation to occur within our education systems. With today’s technology, schools and educators around the globe can design customizable learning pathways for students and offer data-rich feedback cycles for teachers.2
One excellent resource for transitioning to a Personalized Learning environment is UNESCO’s 12 key elements of Personalized Learning, created to help schools, teachers, and students succeed.3 These elements highlight key components and facts around Personalized Learning, including that children will learn best when their unique differences are considered; allowing students choice in their learning motivates this learning; activities that are culturally relevant and perceived to be useful in real life result in more authentic learning and better knowledge transfer. You can see UNESCO’s full document of key elements here.
Schools around the world are creatively using technology to step towards creating personalized learning environments for all. Want to learn about new ways to add creativity and technology in your schools? Join us February 28th from 12:00-1:00PM EST for the first webinar in our Executive Learning Series, Makerspaces: Transforming Learning Environments. This webinar, led by Brian Aspinall, Director of STEM Education at Fair Chance Learning, will highlight best practices for creating engaging and immersive Makerspaces in your schools and will explore exciting new tools such as Minecraft: Education Edition and micro:bits to enhance your students’ personal learning experiences. Register now!
Microsoft is committed to helping schools improve education and personalized learning through 21st century transformation. No matter what component of the framework you’re at, Microsoft has resources, tools, and partners to help streamline this transition. You can view Microsoft’s Ten Critical Components of School Transformation here and the full whitepaper on Personalized Learning here. Don’t forget to check back next month in the Education Transformation Corner of the MindShare Learning Report to continue your transformation journey!
1. OECD, (2006). Education at a Glance. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, France.
2. Patrick, S., Kennedy, K., & Powell, A. (2013). Mean what you say: Defining and integrating personalized, blended and competency education. Vienna, VA: iNACOL.
3. Vosniadou, S. (2001). How children learn. UNESCO International Academy of Education, International Bureau of Education.
